Revenue Confirms MV Matthew has Departed Port of Cork

Revenue has confirmed the departure of the MV Matthew from the Port of Cork on 18 July 2026.

Revenue detained and seized the MV Matthew in September 2023 under its powers under customs legislation, after an interdiction of the vessel at sea led to the detection and seizure of 2.2 tonnes of cocaine with a value of €157 million. It was the largest seizure of cocaine in the State, and the largest seizure in Europe that year.

The operation was carried out by a Joint Task Force of Revenue, An Garda Síochána and the Naval Service, supported by a team from the Army Rangers Wing deployed from an Air Corps helicopter. The team, authorised as Customs Officers, fast roped onto the vessel in high seas, where they secured the ship and prevented the destruction of critical evidence.

An Garda Síochána arrested six of the crew, along with the two men who crewed the "daughter vessel," the Castlemore, which sank off the coast of Wexford. All were found guilty at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced on 4 July 2025 to terms of imprisonment ranging from 13 and a half to 20 years.

Revenue described detaining and seizing a vessel the size of the MV Matthew as without precedent in this jurisdiction, stating that its interdiction and seizure significantly disrupted the activities of organised crime gangs, protecting society from the lasting and detrimental impact that such illegal importations cause.

The disposal of the vessel remained a key priority for Revenue following its seizure, but the process could not proceed until December 2024, as the vessel was required for evidential purposes. Significant regulatory and legal obligations then had to be satisfied to facilitate its removal from the Port of Cork, complicated by the vessel's previous use as a conveyance for international drug smuggling. Revenue says these requirements, given the manner in which the vessel was used by the organised crime gang, could only be resolved through ongoing engagement with international parties to resolve the complex issues that presented.

As no party claimed ownership of the vessel following its seizure, Revenue took steps to ensure it was safely secured and maintained, with the assistance and cooperation of the Port of Cork. The priority throughout was to ensure there were no adverse environmental impacts or health and safety risks arising from the vessel's detention and berthing.

In December 2025, Revenue completed all registration of title requirements with the Panama Maritime Authority Ships Registry, the vessel's Flag State. Revenue says this was an important step that facilitated an agreement with a party to acquire the vessel and move towards its departure.

Revenue reports that safely managing and maintaining the vessel to date has cost in the region of €17 million. An international shipping company ultimately acquired the MV Matthew for a nominal consideration of $1, with an agreement to tow the vessel to Varna in Bulgaria under a single voyage exemption by way of a dead ship tow.

Revenue says its approach has been to fund what was necessary to safely maintain the MV Matthew, including essential repair and maintenance costs as they arose. While the cost arising from its detention has been significant, Revenue described the seizure as unprecedented and a significant internationally recognised outcome in the fight against organised crime.

Revenue continues to collaborate with international colleagues in the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics (MAOC(N)), based in Lisbon, along with OLAF, Europol, and international Customs colleagues in the EU and World Customs Organisation, in developing and implementing an effective detection and intervention strategy to combat smuggling and disrupt the activities of organised crime.

With responsibility for Ireland's border control, Revenue says it will continue this work with domestic and international law enforcement partners, ensuring it continues to obstruct the activities of organised crime gangs. Revenue will tailor and develop its responses as necessary to deal with the ongoing emerging threats posed by these illegal activities, as further demonstrated by a recent joint operation with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, during which a fully operational cocaine extraction laboratory was discovered in Kildare.